The house fly, horse fly and other members of their family are not only a nuisance, they are pests at both homes and farms, and often they are laden with disease causing organisms. In developed countries, typically flies are the most common species found on hog and poultry farms, dairy farms, horse stables and ranches where they are associated with feces and garbage. In developing countries, with poor public hygiene and sanitation that is elementary or less than elementary, the accompanying undesirable very high fly population is a serious public health problem. Fly induced stress and illness is a major source of revenue and energy drain for industrial animal farming operations and the public sector.
Many good efforts have been made to suppress fly population in urban and farm settings. Apart from improved public and private sanitation, keeping windows screened and doors closed, sticky traps (fly paper) and ultraviolet light traps (non-chemical control) placed around a home or business also can reduce housefly populations. They normally function by electrocuting flies that enter the trap.
In industrial farming operations, for example in commercial egg production facilities, flies densities may be suppressed by the application of insecticides (adulticides or larvacides) directly or indirectly to where the flies congregate or their favorite resting locations. However, resistance to commonly used insecticides is increasingly problematic. For example, fly populations that are subjected to a continuous permethrin regime on industrial farms have rapidly developed resistance to permethrin. Treating manure with insecticide, though this method is highly discouraged as it interferes with biological control of flies, often results in a rebound of the fly population. In some cattle and horse ranches, insecticides (especially insect growth regulators) are fed to livestock, and residual insecticide in the manure inhibits fly breeding. Continuous exposure of flies to insecticides has led to development of resistance to many insecticides.
Chemical control suppression of the fly population has been partially effective and there exists a need for a new method or system to effectively suppress the fly population. This new method should be accomplished in a manner that does not result in insecticide resistance. There is a need for a method that is ecologically not toxic.